Beyond Beauty Blog: The Surgeon's Secrets

Put Dimples Where They Belong!

When you think of the word “dimple,” hopefully you picture cute dimples on the face and not the other (and much less pleasant!) “body dimples” known by another name: cellulite. While no one wants to see dimples on her legs or derriere, many women (and men) think dimples on the face are cute.  Dr. Michelle Yagoda can help you reduce body dimples and add the face dimples you have always wanted using the simple math principles of addition and subtraction — and a few of her own special formulas, of course!

To combat cellulite dimples on buttocks and thighs, Dr. Yagoda prescribes the following formula for dimple subtraction: 1) living an active lifestyle that emphasizes exercise (blood flow increases stimulation of fat tissues); 2) eating well (versus consistent dieting); 3) scheduling regular massages with deep lymphatic drainage; and 4) using topical skin care products with active ingredients like those in resolutionMD’s cellulite kit. However, everyone knows that, while living a health-conscious lifestyle is essential to fighting aging and its associated skin changes, it isn’t a cure-all for cellulite. Ultimately, the genes you inherit predict your dimples — both those on your bottom and your face!

If you want to add dimples to your face, then see Dr. Yagoda!  As an expert facial plastic surgeon, she offers dimple creation, a popular and relatively simple surgical procedure that can be done in her office under local anesthesia in less than an hour.

Subtract some, add others….hmmm.  Sounds like the law of conservation for dimples!  Maybe we’re on to something….?

It’s That Time of Year!

When you hear that phrase you probably think of the holidays, right? Well, accompanying the happy holiday season is winter and, unfortunately, dry skin! Not only does the cold cause skin lines and wrinkles to become more pronounced, but the “winter itch” plagues many. Fortunately, Dr. Yagoda is a skincare expert and facial plastic surgeon who has twenty years experience treating various skin ailments, and she has some tips to help combat cracked and dry skin.

Cold temperatures, low humidity, and the use of drying central heat all compound to pull moisture from skin. Since the skin is the body’s biggest organ, it is very important to keep it healthy! Dr. Yagoda believes skin health and overall well-being are linked; what you put in your body influences how you look on the outside. Eating a diet rich in protein and biologically important oils — as well as consuming plenty of liquids — will help hydrate the skin and keep it glowing. Additionally, supplements (like BeautyScoop) that contain peptides, lipids, collagen, hyaluronic acid, and anti-oxidant vitamins are an excellent addition to your daily topical skincare routine.

Topical skin care products can moisturize the outer layers of the skin and seal the skin’s natural protective barrier.  In addition, they can help speed up healthy cell turnover leaving you looking and feeling refreshed. Of course, sun protection is important all year round!  Although the sun might not seem as bright in winter as it is in summer, damaging UV  rays continue to penetrate your skin even when you are indoors. Wearing sun protection daily will help prevent wrinkles and the “leathery” texture that becomes more pronounced in the dry air of winter. If you would like to remove damage sustained by the sun, peels and IPL treatments help restore skin’s softer texture.

Those with eczema and other genetic skin conditions often suffer the most from the “winter itch.” Although no one can change genetics, Dr. Yagoda can help you choose hydrating and nourishing products and help you avoid those with ingredients that might dry the skin (i.e., many acne creams reduce the moisture in skin). By eating well, staying hydrated, using skin moisturizers and sun protection — as well as indulging yourself in a few skin optimizing treatments like fillers and Botox — you will have beautiful, youthful, glowing skin even in winter!

Can’t Sleep? Try a Sleep Buddy!

Couple’s Feet in Bed — Image by © Radius Images/Corbis

Having trouble sleeping? You aren’t alone! More than a third of US adults do not get enough sleep. Insufficient rest doesn’t just make you tired – it has many other associated health risks. If you are looking to improve your quality of life and sleep, then try resting both your mind AND body!

Getting enough sleep is an important component of reducing stress and tackling the day’s challenges. If you are sharing your bed with a companion, chances are you may think his or her presence can be disruptive to your “beauty sleep.” Worry not! As long as it isn’t snoring or sleep apnea waking you up, then sharing your bed is actually beneficial! Of course, if it is sleep apnea (a disruption of breathing) you should seek treatment. Those with allergies, deviated septums, enlarged turbinates or chronic sinus disease can all benefit from a doctor’s attention.  Whether through traditional or endoscopic surgery, fixing sleep apnea and snoring problems will ensure a more peaceful slumber.

However, if you find yourself waking up often — or just do not feel energized in the morning! — consider getting a sleeping buddy! Research shows that the “love hormone,” oxytocin, is released in greater quantities when your nighttime habits include cuddling. Oxytocin not only has physical benefits – it reduces stress, decreases blood pressure, and promotes healing – but it increases our feelings of affection for healthy relationships.

Why is this? Well, we are social creatures! Having a “protector” nearby increases sleep neurotransmitters, and it is these chemical signals that help foster a good night’s rest. So, to be the most outwardly beautiful and healthy person you can be (heaven forbid you have the face of sleep deprivation!), start with ensuring long-term health through good sleeping habits. Just don’t let your sleeping buddy hog the sheets!

Celebrity Update: Pop Star Ariana Grande gets silenced!

She’s been called the next Mariah Carey or the next Whitney Houston because of her eight octave vocal range.  If you haven’t heard Ariana Grande’s amazing voice then you will have to wait because the hot new pop star has just been silenced.  That’s right!  After a loud, late night party, Ariana awoke with hoarseness.  A visit to the voice doctor showed a vocal hemorrhage. What exactly is a vocal hemorrhage?  How did she get it?  How is it treated?  And, most importantly, will we be able to hear her sing again?

Vocal hemorrhages occur from vocal cord trauma. A forceful impact can cause blood vessels within the layers of the vocal cords to bleed and cause a bruise similar to the type that happens under your nail when you slam your finger in the door. Hemorrhages can occur during prolonged voice use; yelling, screaming and forced voice use; or, even during routine use when there is inflammation or infection associated with laryngitis. Ariana tweeted “For those of u asking about my voice I screamed too much at my party totally irresponsible…”

Vocal cord hemorrhages, like Ariana’s and Adele’s and are not uncommon. In an interview on Inside Edition, Dr. Yagoda said, “Just like athletes, singers are at risk of injury from high levels of performance and even overexertion.” Generally not painful, vocal hemorrhages are typically associated with painless hoarseness of the speaking and/or singing voice. A visit to an otolaryngologist (ears, nose and throat doctor) specializing in care of the professional voice is in order. Proper diagnosis is made by endoscopy (a special lighted and magnified examination of the vocal cords during phonation). The use of steroids (often given for other causes of hoarseness) must be avoided as they can both cause the bleeding to increase, and they can mask other symptoms. Treatment of a vocal cord hemorrhage entails complete voice rest for up to two weeks, with interval endoscopic exams used to monitor the hemorrhage until it is gone.

By following the doctor’s prescription for complete voice rest, Ariana will likely have a long, monumental career. Failure to heed that advice can result in a premature and devastating end of her budding career.

4 Minutes is ALL it takes!

© Granger Wootz/Blend Images/Corbis

Do you wake up in the morning thinking you just don’t have the time for the gym before you go to work? Do you tend to pass on your evening workout to have dinner or drinks with friends? If an hour at the gym seems impossible, then good news is here! All it takes is 4 minutes of a blood pumping workout at your target heart rate to get more than just “happy” endorphins. The lifestyle that you lead is one of the most important parts of maintaining a healthy body and mind. How you treat your body—the nutrition you give it, the regular maintenance you keep for it, and the care you take with it—will not only be reflected in your external appearance, but will also shape the way you feel inside.

It’s almost impossible to overstate the importance of taking care of yourself physically, mentally, and emotionally. Stress management techniques including sleep and regular, moderate exercise, maintaining healthy relationships, taking care to eat a balanced diet, and quitting smoking are all key parts of Dr. Yagoda’s integrative beauty and overall health philosophy.  Four minutes of intense exercise at your target heart rate will provide the full benefits of an extended workout.  Four minutes!  Then, you can relax, have dinner and drinks… because you’re all done!

Celebrity Update: Amanda Bynes’ Nose Job: BD or BDD?

Amanda Bynes has been tweeting about her nose job, stating that she had it to correct a “birth defect.”  As a facial plastic surgeon, Dr. Yagoda is an expert on cosmetic nasal surgery.  She can perform a cosmetic rhinoplasty (nose job) to straighten a crooked nose, remove a bump, raise or lower the bridge, narrow the nostrils, refine the nasal tip, lift a droop, fix a cleft, and create symmetry.  While rhinoplasty can provide many changes, it does not do what Amanda suggested — remove webbing from the eyes!As an otolaryngologist (ear, nose and throat expert), Dr. Yagoda can also make functional corrections to the nose.  She can straighten a deviated septum and reduce turbinates to improve airflow, correct sinus disease and relieve sleep apnea to enhance restful sleep. Even a combined functional and cosmetic nasal surgery would not affect your eyes. You would need eye surgery for that.

So, is Amanda Bynes’ rhinoplasty (that really doesn’t correct webbing) for a birth defect or “BD”?  Or, is it likely because of “BDD” body dysmorphic disorder? Given her reckless behavior, we think that body dysmorphic disorder is a real possibility.  BDD is a form of mental illness, when someone obsesses about perceived flaws in appearance that are either non-existent or too small for other people to notice.  BD or BDD?  What do you think?

Photo credit: LostStars.co

Obesity causes Hearing Loss

Myth or Medical Miracle?

True!  It is a real risk. A recent study in Laryngoscope, referenced in The New York Times, showed that there is a clear connection between obesity and hearing loss in adolescents.   What doesn’t obesity cause?  Obesity affects 18.5% of American teens and is responsible for $117 billion in medical care yearly in the US alone.

But with well-known connections between obesity and heart disease, diabetes and premature death, this connection to hearing loss is a new bothersome but less life-threatening concern.  Researchers believe that inflammation in the hearing system is the cause for hearing loss.  This inflammation is associated with obesity.  They suggest that as time goes on, hearing loss may progress. Don’t lose hope though! They also believe that early weight loss can prevent the progression.

Dr. Yagoda, an otolarynologist, can evaluate you if you think you are experiencing hearing loss. She can help musicians and others protect their hearing as well.  Come in for a consultation and fuel your body with knowledge to continue hearing life’s music!

Viruses Can Kill Bacteria Causing Acne

Myth or Medical Miracle?

Medical miracle! Researchers have found a new way of killing the bacteria that causes breakouts. By isolating a group of viruses from human pores, they are able to attack a specific strain of the bacteria. Unlike antibiotics that can kill all good bacteria, this treatment targets only acne-causing bacteria in skin.

As an expert in skin care, Dr. Yagoda can share her secrets and help you select the most effective medical grade, pharmaceutical, natural and organic topical skincare products. In addition, her overall approach to beautiful skin begins from the inside out. BeautyScoop, Dr. Yagoda’s organic and natural patented and clinically proven beauty supplement, contains the essential building blocks your body needs for gorgeous skin, hair and nails.

Really? Can a Computer See Our Dreams?

Yes! With the use of new technology, scientists have figured out a way to decode the brain signals that interpret what you see when you sleep. According to a recent report published in the journal Science, fMRI scans have the ability to display the visual images in your brain while you are dreaming. In other words, researchers have discovered a method to see your dreams. They believe that despite whether you are awake or asleep, your brain uses the same mental process to interpret images.

So what is the difference between an MRI and an fMRI? An MRI scans the brain to see what the inside looks like, while an fMRI measures blood flow in different areas of the brain, each of which is responsible for different emotions and functions. Researchers found that the fMRI was approximately 60% accurate in predicting what the sleepers were seeing just before waking up.

Could this be a step towards “mind-reading”? Scientists say there is still a long way to go before they can read specific details of a dreamer’s thoughts. But we think this is interesting. Read this article to learn more and let us know what you think!

10 Surprising Facts About Stress

In today’s hectic, fast-paced world, it’s easy to become overwhelmed by stress and have negative thoughts when things don’t go as planned. The good news is that there are numerous techniques you can use to combat stress. Did you know that smiling is an antidote to stress? Or that bringing your dog to work can boost employee satisfaction and lower stress levels? To honor National Stress Awareness Month, we’d like to explore the impact stress has in our lives by taking a look at these 10 interesting new findings that have been discovered over the past year.

Dr. Yagoda recommends incorporating a variety of stress reduction techniques in your lifestyle to manage your stress, including meditation, yoga, ample and restful sleep, biofeedback, a healthy diet, and moderate exercise. As a facial plastic surgeon and otolaryngologist, she offers her patients a full spectrum of treatment options for optimal health and wellness. Providing an integrated approach-to beauty, aesthetics, ear, nose, throat, voice, and facial medicine – Dr. Yagoda understands the importance of uniting mind-body connections with traditional medicine and surgery for optimal health, beauty and wellness.